A new model of information seeking stopping behavior

textWeb search engines play an important role in peoples daily life. Widespread usage of search engine poses continuous challenges for designing information search systems that can bring people best user experience. To address this challenges, it is particularly important to understand how people seek information. In spite of a large number of studies on human information seeking, the reasons of when and why users terminate information seeking are uncertain and many proposed theories have a limited capability for predicting this type of behavior. In our study, we conducted lab-based experiments, where participants performed assigned information search tasks on Wikipedia pages. Inspired by theories and methods from cognitive science, we captured participants information search behavior such as query usage, search engine result page visits, Wikipedia page visits, and task duration. Additionally, we used eye-tracking techniques to examine the number of people's eye fixations. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), we have confirmed exploratory and validation processes can be distinguished based on different types of costs associated with each of them. Based on the findings of the regression tree model, evaluating the cost and gain in the validation process provide important feedback to people for controlling and monitoring their information search.Informatio

The Phase Structure of Low Dimensional Large N Gauge Theories on Tori

In this paper we continue our study of the thermodynamics of large N gauge theories on compact spaces. We consider toroidal compactifications of pure SU(N) Yang-Mills theories and of maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories dimensionally reduced to 0+1 or 1+1 dimensions, and generalizations of such theories where the adjoint fields are massive. We describe the phase structure of these theories as a function of the gauge coupling, the geometry of the compact space and the mass parameters. In particular, we study the behavior of order parameters associated with the holonomy of the gauge field around the cycles of the torus. Our methods combine analytic analysis, numerical Monte Carlo simulations, and (in the maximally supersymmetric case) information from the dual gravitational theories.Comment: harvmac, 67 pages, 21 figures. v2: minor corrections and clarification

ACCOUNTING IN CONTEXT OF COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE, AND INFORMATION

Accounting at various times has been referred to as a communication process, a language, and a conveyor of information. Given this condition, an analysis of accounting in terms of the theories relating to those references would enable an understanding of: (1) how well the parts of accounting conform with language theory; (2) how communication theory can aid in the clarification and improvement of the accounting communication process; and (3) how relevant is information theory for the refinement of accounting information. This study is a partial analysis which presents some implications of those theories for accounting.information theory, financial analysis, behavior patterns, financial statements, structure assignment algorithm, predictability, information content, entropy.

Lattice gauge theories simulations in the quantum information era

The many-body problem is ubiquitous in the theoretical description of physical phenomena, ranging from the behavior of elementary particles to the physics of electrons in solids. Most of our understanding of many-body systems comes from analyzing the symmetry properties of Hamiltonian and states: the most striking example are gauge theories such as quantum electrodynamics, where a local symmetry strongly constrains the microscopic dynamics. The physics of such gauge theories is relevant for the understanding of a diverse set of systems, including frustrated quantum magnets and the collective dynamics of elementary particles within the standard model. In the last few years, several approaches have been put forward to tackle the complex dynamics of gauge theories using quantum information concepts. In particular, quantum simulation platforms have been put forward for the realization of synthetic gauge theories, and novel classical simulation algorithms based on quantum information concepts have been formulated. In this review we present an introduction to these approaches, illustrating the basics concepts and highlighting the connections between apparently very different fields, and report the recent developments in this new thriving field of research.Comment: Pedagogical review article. Originally submitted to Contemporary Physics, the final version will appear soon on the on-line version of the journal. 34 page

Initial Public Offerings: Investor Behavior and Underpricing

A questionnaire survey of investors in initial public offerings (IPO's) was undertaken to learn about patterns of investor behavior that might be relevant to theories of their underpricing. Respondents were asked for their perception of the allocation process, their concern with stockbroker or underwriter reputation, their theories of IPO underpricing, and their communications and information sources. Results are interpreted as supporting the notion that there is an element of truth in some existing theories of IPO underpricing. and also suggesting different hypotheses. The impresario hypothesis is that underwriters deliberately underprice to obtain publicity and promote enthusiasm. Other hypotheses suggested by the results are an investor risk perception hypothesis and a fairness-relationship hypothesis.

Individual vs Collective Choice in Corporate Finance

The paper is meant to be an extension of the theories of choice, empirical analysis and theories concerning communication between macro-economic sub-systems and even between (sub) systems. A new perception will be given to all these theories and a different meaning of the factors influencing finance decisions will be shown. Another factor is introduced taking into account one’s choice, which restructures somehow the perception of the function of individuals’ choice. I named it factor ? (alpha) which is a spirituality factor provoking exchanges of information between economic sub-systems. This leads to a rearrangement of the economic and social patterns of behavior and of choice directly influencing the finance decisions and re-equilibrating the inter-conditioning sub-systems of the world.

Behavior change interventions: the potential of ontologies for advancing science and practice

A central goal of behavioral medicine is the creation of evidence-based interventions for promoting behavior change. Scientific knowledge about behavior change could be more effectively accumulated using "ontologies." In information science, an ontology is a systematic method for articulating a "controlled vocabulary" of agreed-upon terms and their inter-relationships. It involves three core elements: (1) a controlled vocabulary specifying and defining existing classes; (2) specification of the inter-relationships between classes; and (3) codification in a computer-readable format to enable knowledge generation, organization, reuse, integration, and analysis. This paper introduces ontologies, provides a review of current efforts to create ontologies related to behavior change interventions and suggests future work. This paper was written by behavioral medicine and information science experts and was developed in partnership between the Society of Behavioral Medicine's Technology Special Interest Group (SIG) and the Theories and Techniques of Behavior Change Interventions SIG. In recent years significant progress has been made in the foundational work needed to develop ontologies of behavior change. Ontologies of behavior change could facilitate a transformation of behavioral science from a field in which data from different experiments are siloed into one in which data across experiments could be compared and/or integrated. This could facilitate new approaches to hypothesis generation and knowledge discovery in behavioral science